Valve for steam-engines.



No. 683,I65. Patented Sept. 24, I90I. C. M. WILCUX.

`VALVE FOR STEAM ENGINES.

(Application Bled Jan. 17, 1901.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet I.

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na. 683,165. Patented sept.. 24, 19m. C. M. WILCOX.

VAL-VE FUR STEAM ENGINES.

(Apylcston filed Ian. 17, 1901.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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N0. 683,|65. Patented Sept. 24, |90l. C. M. WILCUX.

VALVE FOR STEAM ENGINES.-

(Application led Jan. 17, 1901.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII X., ma 8.a mh M@ 0 UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.Y

CHARLES M. WILCOX, or NEW PARIS, oHIo, ASSIeNoE or ONE-HALE To,

. CHARLES W. ELooM, oF SAME PLACE,

VALVE FOR STEAM-ENGINES.

SEECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 683,165, datedSeptember 24, 190,1.

Application led January 17, 1901. Serial No. 43,610. (No model.) l

T0 @ZZ whom it may c07tcer1t.-.

Be it known that I, CHARLES M. WILCOX, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at New Paris, in the county of Preble andv State of Ohio, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Valves for SteamEngines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in steam-engines, and moreparticularly to the controlling-valve and the parts contiguous thereto,in which the valve is caused to operate on pivots with a circularoscillating motion to admit and release the steam from the cylinder orcylinders of an engine. i

The object of my present in vent-ion, broadly speaking, is the provisionof an improved steam-engine simple in its construction, easy ofoperation', compact in its parts, and in which the friction andconsequent wear on the vital parts of the engine are reduced to aminimum.

A more specific object is to provide a controlling-valve forsteam-engines of novel construction in which the steam-pressure willalways be from below and` on theunder face of the controlling-valve andin which the pressure or bearing of the valve, usually on thevalve-seat, is transferred to a single point located directly above thecontrolling-valve.

Another object is to provide an improved steam-engine of the classstated whichpinvolves simplicity of construction and operation and inwhich the greatest possible efficiency or working power is secured witha minimum of steam.

Another obj ect is to provide a steam-en gine with a perfectly-balancedcontrolling-valve, thereby dispensing with much of the friction andconsequent loss of power of an ordinary slide-valve; and still anotherobject consists in a novel and useful valve for controlling theadmission and exhaust of steam into and from the ports of the cylinderor cylinders and for enabling the direction in which the pitman isturning the operating-shaft to be reversed at will. Y

Other minor and subordinate features of my invention will appear fromthe following description.

I attain these and other objects by the mechanism and arrangement ofparts illustrated ing the valve-seat, the cylinder-ports, the 6o steamentrance and exhaust ports and pipes, and the action of thecontrolling-valve with reference to the ports. Fig. A is a top plan orvertical View of my engine. Figf is a bottom plan view of thecontrolling-valve and the chest in which it operates. Fig. 6 is across-sectional view of the essential parts of my engine, taken on theline Y Y of Figs. 2,3, 4, and 5.

Similar letters and figures of reference refer to similar partsthroughout the several views.

A and A represent the piston-heads of an engine.

B/ and B" represent the cylinders or, more properly, the operating-spaceof the pistonheads.

C and Cl represent the pitmen of an engine.

D represents a crank-shaft.

E represents the division-wall between the cylinders. Y

10 represents my controlling-valve.

11 represents my valve-stem extending up from 10 and terminating in apivot to oper-r 85 ate against the screw 13.

12 represents the valve journal or pivot be low the valve.

13 represents a screw for adjusting the valve to the valve-seat. Y

1t and 1A" represent the steam-spaces in the valve.

15 represents vtheV arms of a yoke rising above the valve-case 26 foithepurpose ot'- providing a seat for the valve-stem 11.

1S represents a Slotted arm extending out from a collar 17, said collarand arml being adj ustably secured to the valve-stem 11 by a set-screw1'6. l

19 represents a connecting-arm journaled at one end to the arm 18 Vbyapivot mounted adjustably in the slot referred to in the arm IOO 18, theother end of 19 being journaled to a revolving disk 20, said disk beingpermanently mounted on the end of the shaft 21. The shaft 2l isjournaled, near the top thereof, to the arm 24, and at the bottom it ispivoted in the part 25.

22 and 23 represent a Worm-gear or endless screws meshing with eachother at right angles, 22 being secured to the shaft 2l, and 23 beingsecured on the crank-shaft D.

26 represents the valve-case in which the valve 10 operates.

27and 2S represent steam-pipes connecting with'the openings 29 and 30,respectively, and leading through each side of the valve-seat.

3l represents the plate which forms the cylinder-heads. j

32 represents the top or ends of the cylinders.

33 represents the trapezoid port leading into the cylinder B', and 34represents the trapezoid opening leading into the cylinder B".

I have shown my controlling-valve and the adjacent parts in connectionwith one type of steam-engine for the purpose of showing how myinvention can be operated; but I do not wish to limit my invention tothis type of engine, for it is evident that my valve and its adjacentparts are applicable to various kinds of engines.

The parts I have shown in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 4 I considerunimportant, in that other types or similar arrangements may be used inplace thereof.

In Fig. 2 I show a plan of the ends of the cylinders 32 of an enginewith steam pipes and ports thereto for the use of my invention. I nowsecure the plate 31 on top of the part 32. When this is done, the endsof the cylinders will appear as in Fig. 3. I now place the valve l0 onthe valve-seat, so that the steamspaccs 14 and 14" will occupy theposition as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 3, the pivot 12 extendingdown into its socket in the face of the valve-seat and the valve-stem 11projecting upward, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6. I now place the valve-case2G in its place over the Valve 10 and secure it to the plate 31. I nowsecure the part 15 around the shaft 11 to the top of the valve-case, atthe same time entering the valve-stem 11 through the collar 17. I nowinsert the screw 13 to contact with the pivot of the valve-stem 11, bymeans of which the Valve 10 can be adjusted to contact with thevalve-seat. By means of the arm 18 the valve 10 can be rocked laterallyin the valve-case 26 for the purpose of admitting and releasing thesteam to and from the cylinders B and B or to opposite ends of asingle-cylinder engine.

The operation of the valve-gear is accomplished by any Well-knownmethod; but I have shown an arrangement which I consider the bestadapted to the type of engine herein shown, which consists of a worm orscrew gear 22 and 23, connecting the crank-shaftD at right angles to theshaft 21, the shaft 21 having a crank-disk 2() on its upper end for thepurpose of operating the connecting-arm 19. It can be seen that When thecrank-shaft D is revolved it will cause the connectingarm 19 to move thearm 18 with a lateral sweeping motion, and thus transmit to the controlling-Valve 10 a circular oscillating motion to control the entranceand exhaust of the steam to and from the steam-spaces 14 and 14" andfrom them into the cylinders of the engine.

My invention consists, essentially, of a body of circular form ofsufficient thickness to allow the steam-spaces 14 and 14' to be hollowedout on the face thereof, with an axle 12 projecting down from the faceand a stern ll projecting upward from the top.

It can be seen that if the valve in the position shown in Fig. 5 beplaced on the valveseat, Fig. 3, the port 29 will be opposite the centerof the steam-space 14 and the port 30 Will be opposite the center of thesteam-space 14, in which position the solid parts of the face of thevalve 10 will cover the ports 33 and 34, (considering for the presentthat 27 is the entrance for the live steam and that 28 is the exhaust.)Should the valve l() be turned to the left on the pivot 12 to theposition shown by the dotted lines, Fig. 3, it is apparent that achannel is established for the steam to enter through the pipe 27 andthe port 29 into the steam-space 14 and then through the port 33 intothe cylinder B and cause the piston head A to be depressed. In likemanner a channel is at the same time established for the exit of thesteam from the cylinder BH by passing up through the port 34 into thesteam-space 14, through the port 33, and exhaust through the pipe 28. Inthe position of the Valve 10 above described if the valve 10 be givenapproximately a quarter-turn to the right the steam-space 14 will assumethe same relation with 29 and 34 as it formerly did With 29 and 33 andthe steamspace 14" will assume the same relation with 30 and 33 as itformerly did with 33 and 34. In the position of the valve just stated itis apparent that the live steam entering through the pipe 27 and theport 29 into the steamspace 14 Will enter through the port 34 into thecylinder B" and that the steam contained in the cylinder B' will exhaustthrough the port 33 into the steam-space 14 and out through the port 30and pipe 28.

It is apparent that if properly adjusted the revolution of thecrank-shaft D Will cause the valve 10 to shift at the proper time toadmit and exhaust the steam to and from the cylinders B and B"alternately.

With the construction and arrangement of the valve shown and describedit can be seen that if I desire to reverse the engine and cause theshaft D to revolve in the opposite direction I have only to admit thelive steam through the pipe 2S and exhaust the steam through the pipe27.

My improvements are perfectly adapted to IOO IIO

accomplish the results for which they arel intended; but it is evidentthat changes in and modifications of the construction herein shown anddescribed may be made and that analogous parts may be used to accomplishthe same results Without departing from the spirit of my invention orsacrificing any of its advantages.

Having shown and described the best construction of my engine known tome at this time, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by LettersPatent of the United States, 1s-

I. A steam-engine valve, of circular form, having steam-spaces in theface thereof, an upwardly-projecting stem and pivot and a downwardly-projeeting pivot, all substantially as shown and described and for thepurposes set forth.

2. In a steam-engine, the combination with a valve-seat having supplyand exhaust ports or passages, of a valve-chest, an oscillating valvehaving` steam chambers in its face adapted to coact with the portsaforesaid and located in the valve-chest and provided with a stem whichis journaled in the valve-chest, and an adjusting-screw on thevalve-chest which is stepped against the end of the valvestem, wherebythe valve is prevented from bearing against the valve-chest.

3. In a steam-engine, the combination with a valve-seat having supplyand exhaust port-s or passages, of a valve-chest, an oscillating valvehaving steam chambers in its face adapted to coact with the portsaforesaid and located in the valve-chest, an adjusting-screw on thevalve-chest which is stepped against the end of the'valve-stem, and apivot or journal projecting from the valve and journaled or stepped inthe valve-seat, whereby the valve is centered and prevented from lateralor longitudinal displacement by steam-pressure.

4. In a steam-engine, the combination with admission and exhaust portsor passages therein, of a valve-chest secured thereto, a yoke risingabove the Valve-chest, an oscil-v lating valve in the chest havingchambers to coaot with the ports aforesaid, a stem secured to said valvewhich is journaled in the valvechest, an adjusting-screw on the yokewhich is stepped against the end of the stem, a slotted arm having acollar adjustably connected to the valve-stem between the yoke and thevalve-chest, and an operating-arm having an adjustable connection withthe slot in the aforesaid arm and connected to the operative parts ofthe engine for oscillating the valve.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification inthepresenceof two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES M. WILCOX. Witnesses: Y

R. W. RANDLE, R. E. HANDLE.

